The Twins have a decision to make on Anthony Banda, and the answer may depend less on his name than on the latest medical read.
Minnesota should at least explore a negotiated return with the left-hander before writing him off for the bullpen picture. Banda’s 2026 season ended after lat surgery in July, and he remains eligible for arbitration, which leaves the Twins weighing both the cost and the uncertainty around his recovery.
There’s a case to keep the conversation going. There’s also a case to draw a line on the money and the roster space before Banda proves he can get back to form.
On the field, Banda’s 2026 was uneven. He posted a 4.46 ERA and 1.34 WHIP in 34.1 innings, with 33 strikeouts and 15 walks across 39 appearances. That followed a much better 2025 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, when he finished with a 3.18 ERA over 65 innings.
That mix is what makes him interesting: one season of useful work, then a shorter and less effective follow-up. The upside is obvious enough if he’s healthy. A healthy Banda would give Minnesota another experienced left-handed arm without forcing the club to replace that role entirely through outside additions.
The financial piece is still very much in play. Just Baseball’s arbitration model projected Banda at $2.1 million for 2027, though that remains only an estimate, not a settled salary.
Twins On SI’s arbitration coverage listed Banda among the club’s decisions, and a deal before the tender deadline could give both sides a path to a number they can live with.
But a surgery date doesn’t tell the whole story. Minnesota still needs a fresh evaluation of where Banda stands in rehab before it starts planning around him as a dependable bullpen piece.
The real questions are straightforward: when can he pitch in games again, how much workload can he handle and whether the stuff that made him effective is still there.
Those answers matter because the Twins don’t have unlimited room to maneuver. Their 40-man constraints mean every move carries a cost, especially with additions and prospect protection also on the table.
There’s another layer, too. A.J. Minter and Taylor Rogers both have expiring contracts, and their free-agent choices will shape how much left-handed relief Minnesota has to replace.
So the recommendation is simple enough: keep the door open if the medical outlook points to a real 2027 contribution at a price that makes sense. If the recovery timeline is too long, or a better option shows up at a similar number, the Twins can move on.
Even if Banda stays, the bullpen still needs work. His rehab will determine how big a role he can reasonably fill, and Minnesota will have to keep enough depth in place in case that return takes longer than hoped.
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